Punjab authorities join forces for election monitoring

Installation of 29,000 CCTV cameras will cost Rs1.35b

LAHORE:

An agreement has been formalised between the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA), Punjab Information and Technology Board (PITB), and National Radio and Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) for the installation of 29,000 CCTV cameras across the province, dedicated to monitoring the upcoming general elections.

The agreement, inked in the presence of Punjab Inspector General (IG) Usman Anwar, aims to enhance election surveillance and ensure the peaceful conduct of the electoral process.

IG Punjab Usman Anwar emphasized the pivotal role these cameras will play in closely monitoring the election proceedings.

According to the agreement terms, the procurement of the 29,000 cameras will incur a total cost of Rs1.35 billion. IG Punjab highlighted that these cameras will become the property of the Punjab government after the elections.

He further detailed that the newly acquired cameras will feature modern technology, including night vision capabilities, enhancing their effectiveness in monitoring the electoral process.

IG Punjab Dr. Usman Anwar underscored the commitment to utilizing all available resources for the peaceful conduct of the general elections. He emphasized that the incorporation of modern technology, such as the advanced CCTV cameras, will enable real-time monitoring, ensuring a smooth and secure electoral process.

In tandem with this initiative, a "Static Duty" app has been developed to monitor the deployment of security personnel for law and order purposes on General Elections Day 2024.

DIG Operations Lahore, Ali Nasir Rizvi, explained that the app has been uploaded to the mobile phones of all officials assigned election duties.

The application boasts features such as uploading duty point information with directions and geo-tagging, facilitating seamless navigation for officials. Additionally, officials can report any incidents or law and order situations directly through the app for live monitoring of the security situation in constituencies and cities. Officials will also mark their attendance upon reaching their designated duty locations.

Rizvi noted that comprehensive training has been provided to officials regarding the app's usage. Both DIG and SP operations control rooms will monitor the app in real-time.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 5^th, 2024.